There are so many reasons to cloth diaper—environmental, financial, even cultural. But let’s be honest: another top reason many of us fall in love with cloth diapering is the cuteness!
I’ll be the first to admit it. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was pretty certain I wanted to cloth diaper, but I wasn’t 110% sure. Then I saw an ad for this Bummis Super Whisper diaper cover, and that was it—I was sold.
The print got me. Six months later, not only was I cloth diapering my own baby, but I was the proud co-owner of a diaper service helping hundreds of NYC families cloth diaper their babies—and yes, we carried that exact Bummis print in our tiny retail shop!
Fast forward 16 years, and prints still get my juices flowing. At Esembly, we’re always thinking about new designs—whether we're sketching them ourselves or collaborating with incredible artists like Phoebe Wahl and Oliver Jeffers.
Last summer, I was out shopping with my now-teenage daughter. She was lamenting the lackluster t-shirt options at one of her favorite shops and wondered aloud why the brand didn’t let fans weigh in on the designs. I chimed in, “Or better yet—why not let fans design one?” Somewhere between the fitting room and the F train, inspiration struck: Esembly needs to release a Fan Favorites collection!
Three days later, we were finalizing a survey and setting up the parameters of our very first design contest. We couldn’t wait to see what would come in.
As fellow moms and cloth diaperers, we deeply understand the significance of the cloth diaper print. It’s more than just a fashion choice in the moment. We put these designs on our tiny newborns while we stumble through the early days of sleepless parenting. Our babies sport them while they hit major milestones like rolling over and crawling and walking. We often shed a bittersweet tear as we pack them away for good once the potty takes over. These prints become embedded in our core memories from some of the most impactful years of our kids lives. No boring white disposable could ever hold that kind of nostalgia.
The Fan Favorites survey went out to everyone on our email list and we blasted it on social. We wanted to hear from past, present, and future Esembly families. The survey started with broad strokes—color preferences, feelings about past collections—then dove into specifics: animals, nature, food, and more. Meanwhile, entries for our design contest were rolling in, and we were blown away by the talent of the parents who submitted.
In the end, we landed on four winning prints for our first-ever Fan Favorites Collection:
✨ One custom design
✨ One animal
✨ One food
✨ One re-release of a past favorite
Quilted
The Design Contest Winner
This was such a hard decision. We had hundreds of gorgeous entries, but Ella Howman’s “Quilted” stole our hearts. It’s modern yet timeless, playful yet soft, gender-neutral, and perfect for both Diapers and Home Goods.
Reaching out to tell Ella she won was one of my favorite moments at Esembly. Bonus twist: we didn’t know when we picked her design (entries were blind) but she’s expecting her first baby and just starting her design career. Kismet!). You can read more about Ella and the contest HERE.
Foxes
The Re-Release
Originally designed by Mimochai and released in 2022, Foxes quickly became one of our bestselling Limited Edition prints. So it wasn’t a huge surprise when it topped the list of “Prints You’d Most Like to See Brought Back.”
But what did surprise us was the story Mimi shared when we reached out to ask permission to re-release it. When she was first designing for us three years ago, she was going through IVF and nearly turned down the project. She wasn’t sure she could create joyful art during such a difficult time. Happily, she became pregnant in 2024—and now her new baby boy gets to wear the print she once designed while dreaming of him.
Lemons
The Food Favorite
We know food prints are popular—Strawberries and Blueberries are among our top sellers—but we weren’t sure which food you’d want next. So we asked. The answer was loud and clear: Lemons!
We designed Lemons in the same cheerful style as our other top fruits so they’d pair beautifully in our new Ditty Bag TRIO.
It’s bright, fresh, joyful—and looks amazing on diapers.
Personally though? I’m obsessed with the Lemon Paperless Towel Set. It just screams clean and happy.
Turtles
The Animal Surprise
Animal prints are always a hit—but which one? Soft and furry? Bold and feathery? We each had our personal picks, but none of us guessed the runaway winner: the humble, hard-shelled turtle!
Designing this one was a blast. From the cool denim blue background to the funky pop of purple on the shell. This little guy totally stole our hearts—and we hope he lives up to your vote!
So there you have it: a collection designed by you and for you. We hope you fall in love with every single design in our NEW FAN FAVORITES COLLECTION, but even more, we hope you walk away knowing that we see you and hear you and are doing our very best to build a brand that you will remember fondly as part of your families early years! Thank you for being on this journey with us and for helping to shape the products and prints we put out in the world.
With gratitude,
Liz Turrigiano
Co-founder and CEO
